Militants gun down sarpanch in Kashmir

Militants shot dead sarpanch of the ruling National Conference in Shopian district of Kashmir near his residence.

In an audacious attack, militants shot dead sarpanch of the ruling National Conference in Shopian district of Kashmir near his residence.

Mohammad Sultan Bhat was in his car when, about 500 metres from his residence in Nazneenpora in Shopian when the ultras stopped his vehicle and pumped bullets at him from close range at around 9.30 pm, police said.

Bhat died on the spot while the assailants managed to escape, it said.

Extending condolences to the sarpanch’s family, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Bhat’s death “will only spur us on to remain steadfast and committed to our mission of a peaceful, prosperous new Jammu & Kashmir.”

“He joins the many hundreds of NC cadre killed for their political beliefs,” Omar tweeted.

Omar said the National Conference will tomorrow formally request the Election Commission (EC) to review security in this area. “We are concerned about gaps in the security grid,” he said.

“The Election Commission (EC) code forbids me from any engagement with the security forces so the Election Commission (EC) is now responsible for plugging any loopholes,” he said.

The killing comes a day after a grenade attack in Srinagar in which eight people were injured.

On November 28, ten people had lost their lives in militant attack in Arnia sector, while yesterday militants had also triggered a blast targeting an army vehicle near LoC in Poonch, but the troops escaped unhurt.